Inverted triangle. What to wear and how to dress your best

Your shoulders are broader than your hips? Congratulations, you are an inverted triangle!

Our readers with an inverted triangle body shape often ask how they need to dress to compliment their body type with their wardrobe. As an inverted triangle, you have broad shoulders but narrow hips and a straight waist. Your bottom is flat and your bust is a variable part of the equation. You are a rare breed because the inverted triangle is the least common body type found amongst women: something cosmic. Many of the catwalk models today have an inverted triangle body shape.

The inverted triangle body shape

In case you are unsure if you really are an inverted triangle body shape just check with our body shape calculatoror the body shape quiz! Naomi Campbell, Teri Hatcher, Giselle Bundchen and Demi Moore are amongst the most famous carven inverted triangles body shapes.

The following article will cover the best outfit for inverted triangles from head to toe. For each section we will give you a short advice what to wear and what should be avoided. For a more complete coverage outside the scope of this article you can check out the following two options:

Neckline styles for inverted triangles

Collar styles

Collarless styles, waterfall collars or very small collars are best for an inverted triangle.

Sleeves

Go for sleeves that make your shoulders appear smaller, like kimono, batwings, dolman or raglan sleeves. Shoulder slits, cut-outs and flared or wider cuffs look great on inverted triangles.

Avoid heavy detailing like buttons or epaulets around your shoulders as well as puffy sleeves. As these draw the eye outward, they would make you appear top-heavy.

Unstructured shirts are best for you. They are even better when they are darker than the trousers or skirt you wear them with!

Top & Shirt styles

Tops and shirts to emphasize your waist are great, like peplums, trapeze, bolero, camisoles or corsets. Large straps are better than smaller ones – unless you wear a top with thin multi straps.

You should wear soft and drapey fabrics as well as fine knits. Linen or thick knit would add volume to your shoulders.

To make your upper part of your body appear smaller, wear shirts and tops in colors that are darker or more muted than the skirts or pants you wear.

Tip 1: If you are busty, get a good bra that separates your breasts from your tummy.

Tip 2: Wrap a sweater around your waist for more waist definition.

Vests

Go for a vest in a darker or muted color. It should have a peplum, wide straps or be in a very soft and drapey fabric.

Jacket styles

Avoid structured and tailored jackets (exception: they have a peplum) and cropped jackets with slim fitting bottoms, instead look for single breasted jackets with deconstructed, fluid lines.

Your jackets should be either straight or have some waist definition and flare out at your waist. Wrap cardigans and fitted cut-away styles are great for you.

Avoid double breasted buttoning, big collars, shoulder pads and embellishments like epaulets as they make your broad shoulders appear even broader. Pockets are great and should sit below your waist to add some curves to your hips.

Tip: Choose a jacket in a muted or darker color and wear it with something bright or light on your bottom half. This will help balance your broad shoulders.

Coats

Coats that add volume around your hips and/or create a waist are best. This will give you a more balanced figures and counteracts the wider top volume of an inverted triangle figure. Flared sleeves also work well for an inverted triangle. Great styles for you include trench coats, cocoon, A-line capes or trapeze coats.

Stay away from embellishments on and around your shoulders; only buy trench coats without epaulets. Shoulder pads, big lapels and double breasted jackets are a no-go.

To show your gorgeous shoulders, go strapless. For balance, add some volume at the bottom, e.g. with a peplum or a mermaid dress or skirt.

Dress styles for an inverted triangle body shape

Your best dresses add some volume at your hips to balance your shoulders. Peplums, mermaid and A-line are great styles for an inverted triangle. T-shirt, tunic, bias cut and one strap dresses are also great.

Go for a strapless dress if you want to show off your beautiful shoulders.

Skirts

Wear your skirts in bright colors, horizontal stripes and patterns. They should be lighter or brighter than your top.

Trousers

You have a wide range to choose from: stretch pants, capri, cargo, gauchos, … and you can actually wear exotic ones like jodhpur and harem pants.

Front pleats are great to add some volume to your hips as well as pocket detailing.

You can also add some weight to your lower half with the right color or fabric. Wear trousers in bright colors and patterns. For business trousers, you could use a light grey or beige (and a dark top in black or brown). With fabrics you can create volume with rigid or thick fabrics like cord, tweed, mohair, monk’s cloth, melton, homespun, canvas, boucle, brocade, gabardine, lace, velvet and thick knits.

Shorts look great on you! Wear them rolled up, with pleats, in bright colors,…

Shorts

Your shorts should have pleats and fuller legs to add width your hips. Short jeans also look great on you, especially if you roll up the pant legs a bit.

If you are a petite inverted triangle and have nice legs, you can go for pleats in very short shorts. This will make you appear taller and your legs leaner. If you have a long waist or are very tall, pick a longer short that is more flowing to balance out your length.

Jeans styles for an inverted triangle body shape

Your jeans can be straight, cigarette or flared. You can also go for side pockets or baggy jeans.

Get your jeans in lighter colors or even bright and shiny colors like red or yellow. This will balance your shoulders.

Tip: If you long for wearing skinny jeans, keep your top half simple.

Jumpsuits

There is no other body type that wears jumpsuits as good as an inverted triangle. You have a wide array of choices here: sleeveless, one strap, with harem pants,….

A long thin scarf is great for an inverted triangle.

Accessories for an inverted triangle body shape

Go for long pendant necklaces and big rings to draw the attention away from your shoulders. Avoid chunky necklaces and big earrings.

Wear scarves down to your waist or hips to visually elongate your torso.

Wear belts to define your waist, but avoid very small belts.

Shoes for an inverted triangle body shape

You can go for bright and colorful shoes, embellishments and patterns to create visual balance with your wide shoulders.

Rather go for a medium to chunky heal over a stiletto, but skip platform heels and wedges. Slouch knee boots, ankle boots, cowboy boots and Uggs also look great on inverted triangles.

For sandals, look for some with ankle straps.

Avoid nude shoes.

Bags

As an inverted triangle, to play down your body shape, choose a bag with the opposite shape to your body shape: a bag with round styles, like a Hobo or Pouch. To celebrate your body type, choose a bag with the same features as your body type: a structured bag with angles like a structured Satchel or a classic Kelly bag.
The size of your body matters as well in choosing your best bag. For a petite woman, petite bags are better. For a big woman, a big bag matches her way better.

The bag should have long straps and sit on your hips. Avoid big bags which sit under your shoulders.

Swimwear & Beachwear

You can wear classic styles and more daring styles like thongs and deep V necklines. Tops with thick straps and underwire or halter shape look good on inverted triangles.

Bottoms with light or bright colors, ruffles, prints and embellishments are great to add volume to your hips. To play down your bust, you can wear tops in darker or muted colors. Avoid extra padding, ruffles or embellishments.

Tip 1: Make sure your top gives you enough support and coverage if you are busty inverted triangle.

Tip 2: You might need to look for a shop that sells tops and bottoms separately as your top needs a size more than your bottom.

Hello Laura,
Thanks for your comment! It is true that you have to consider more than just your body type to find the right style. Your height and proportions (long legs – short torso or short legs – long torso) are important as well. For the neckline, face shape and size of your chest play an important role. V-necklines are great for round faces.
For the dress: if you have shapely legs, go for short dresses. If you do want to wear knee length or maxi dress, make sure you emphasize your waist.
The perfect maxi skirt for you is not too bulky and ends between the end the ankle and about an inch above the floor. Wear heels!
Hope that was helpful!
Yours, Verena

On many body body calculators I range between rectangle or pear. My measurements are about 42,36,42.5 and my shoulders are a tad wider than my hips but from the front I have fairly wide thighs, my outer thighs are quite toned and create a circular shape down from my hips then I have smaller but very toned calves, and my butt isn’t flat but probably a medium ish size but firm. Would I be an inverted triangle? I think so from the front I don’t look super shapely but from the back I do. My friend says I have a rectangle upper body with like pear thighs.

Hello Jessica,
I am not sure what kind of measurements you are sending with the 42,36,42.5..
Anyway, if the calculator says you are a pear, you definitely have some pear tendencies.
Jessica, you might be a mixture of two shapes. Our 5 body shapes are a starting point to find out your best styles. Be open to find the best of more than one world if you fall into two categories.
Best,
Verena

Hello Chiku,
before you do the makeover of your wardrobe, you should know that there are a lot of tall and slim inverted triangles that can wear almost everything. In fact, this is why a lot of women on the catwalk are inverted triangles. Some inverted triangles are that lucky, some are not – and for the latter, these tips are of great use.
Do not just throw out something, check how it looks on you before you toss it out. Maybe it is not that bad at all. Get a feedback from an honest friend, take pictures of yourself, etc. You can find some tips for mispurchases here as well: http://dev.styled247.com/mispurchases/
Hope that helps!
Verena

Hi,
the rules for an inverted triangle apply for you as well! Apart from that: Wearing a high heel helps, also darker colors.
Go for small patterns.
Apart from that, really wear what you feel comfortable in and what fits your personality (and the right colors for you).
Here is a blogger that collects pics for plus size inverted triangles:http://www.pinterest.com/angelasimmons/inverted-triangle-body-beautys-size-14-and-up/
Best,
Verena

I love Shirts with patterns and collars because I’m only 16 I like to express myself but I’m starting to get the idea that I should stop wearing them becuase they emphasize my top half more ..
Everyone always loves what I wear but that doesn’t necessarily mean it looks good does it?

Hi Abby,
the rules are general rules for each body type. The more pronounced your body type is, the more you should keep them in mind. But there are many ways to make things that are not perfect work for you: e.g. wear something colorful, brighter or lighter on the bottom together with your patterned shirts. Also, small patterns for your shirt are ok. If in doubt, have somebody take a pic of your looks over time and judge for yourself.
And do not forget: These are rules that are there to help you choose the things that flatter you most. They are not there to make your life drab. If you love your shirts and everybody thinks you look great, why stop wearing them?
Best,
Verena

Hi
My measurements are shoulders 40, waist 31, hips 34, bust 34 (all in inches) I have a longer body than legs. I’m 5ft 2in UK size 5 feet.
All measured as suggested to do. I’m a inverted triangle or strawberry shaped 😉
I never know what to wear to balance out my long body & short legs and even more so with wide shoulders as well. I have a flabby belly from child birth and I have lost all my hair which is permament. Really struggling to define my style and what to wear. I am 35 years old.
Please help if you can?

Hi,
on top of the tips for the inverted triangle, try to elongate your legs with short hemlines, wearing shoes and tights in the same color/pants and shoes in the same color and High-waisted pants and skirts.
Also try platform shoes.
Best,
Ena

Hi Verena,
I was wondering if you could be help me figure out what rules I should mainly follow when it comes to dressing my body. I’m underweight by 10lbs, my current measurements (shoulders,waist and hips) are 38-25-35. My waist is defined, my hips are high and thighs round out but my shoulders are the widest part of my body. I know that I am an inverted triangle, but I find it hard as to what I body shape I predominately would fall under because of my body from waist down. Is there such thing as curvy inverted triangles or hourglasses with broader shoulders?

thanks for sharing this with us! in your case you are indeed a “curvy inverted triangles”. The defining characteristica for an hourglass is that the waist is only 3/4 or less compared to hips or shoulders. In your case this is true for both hips and shoulders. The reason we have you as an inverted triangle is that you also fullfill this criteria.

From our side just follow all the tips for the hourglass, for example always wear something to show off your beautiful waist! On the inverted triangle side make sure not to wear something that adds more volume to your top. Any 80s style stuff with pads for example is a no go as it would make you appear inbalanced even though you are very curvy.